Size: Length; 43-87cm. Weight; 530-680g.

Age: The average lifespan is actually 3 to 4 years, although up to 15 years has been recorded in the wild and 22 years in captivity.

Habitat and distribution: Freshwater wooded lakes, ponds and slow moving rivers throughout much of North America.

Groups and breeding: Usually found in small groups but up to a few hundred in winter. They nest in tree holes up to 80m above the ground or nest boxes and lay between 9-15 eggs which hatch after about 30 days and fledging take place after around 60 days. Males tends to be serial monogamists which means that they remain faithful to a single female for a single breeding season but will change for the next  season.

Diet: Seeds, invertebrates and water plants

• This is now considered to be the most numerous breeding duck in eastern USA.
• Young may be led considerable distances to water once they have left the nest.
• This duck was first introduced into the UK in 1870 but has never fully established itself.
• Females may lay their eggs in the nests of another female (known as egg dumping) to enable them to rear even more young.
• Within the first two weeks after hatching, up to 90% of all chicks will die.
• One of the 147 species of the Anatidae family, which includes all ducks, geese and swans, more commonly known as wildfowl or waterfowl.
• Waterfowl bodies are adapted for a highly aquatic life, with webbed feet for swimming and a body shaped to improve buoyancy in the water and a thick covering of feathers for insulation. Different species specialise to fill different niches.  
• All species have an oil-gland which is used whilst preening to maintain waterproofing of their feathers; the oil-gland is highly developed in this family.
• All species have salt glands above each eye, which filter the blood and excrete excess salt.
• Wildfowl have had a long association with humans; the Mallard is the direct ancestor of almost all current breeds of domestic duck. Humans utilise this family for meat, eggs, and feathers and in some countries ducks are even kept around houses to control insect numbers.